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Chai baked oatmeal with blueberries

During the week, I try to sleep until the very last moment before I have to get ready for work. Being a chef, make-up is not necessary, making my morning routine last only a mere 10 minutes. This also means that breakfast has to either be eaten in a couple minutes or be able to be consumed on the road. Cereals, yogurt, bread are always viable options; however, every so often, I like to mix it up with a special something like this chai baked oatmeal with blueberries. This breakfast can be prepared the night before and be enjoyed the next day reheated or even cold. Baked oatmeal spiced with chai, studded with blueberries and topped with toasted nuts, what can better?

Combine oats with salt, baking powder and half of almonds in a medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs with maple syrup and vanilla. Slowly whisk into the milk.

Arrange sliced pear in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the blueberries. Cover with oat mixture, than drizzle mixture mixture on top. Top with remaining berries and almonds.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden and the oats are set. Let cool for a few minutes. Drizzle with butter and serve.

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

Imagine your normal boring plain microwave oatmeal. Now imagine that same oatmeal with hints of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, warm blueberries that burst when bitten into and toasted almonds drizzled with warm syrup. It’s not too hard to choose which you would rather have, right?

I always wanted to try baked oatmeal and now I finally got the recipe to prepare it thanks to Food52. The chai aspect of one recipe peaked my interest but rather than serving it with fruit on the side, I wanted the fruit incorporated into the breakfast. Luckily, the same site, Food52 had another baked oatmeal recipe, Heidi Swanson’s baked oatmeal, that did exactly that. Combine the ingredients of one and the method of another and there you have my remix of chai baked oatmeal with blueberries!

If you are having trouble finding chai tea leaves, make your own spice blend at home. Combine

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

and there you have your own chai mix!

For a gluten-free, non-dairy version, substitute the milk for almond, coconut, hemp, or soy milk and use gluten-free oats.

If blueberries aren’t in season, replace with bananas, peaches, pears, or any fruit you desire. Want to make this more of a dessert? Drizzle creme anglaise and maple bourbon syrup for more of a bread pudding type dessert. Either way, this dish is incredibly easy to prepare, just as easy to reheat, and did I mention, darn delicious? Bake a big batch to hold you for the entire week!

Looking for someone to come to your house and prepare these dishes for you? It is possible! If you are in Los Angeles and looking for a private chef, please feel free to contact me. For more information, visit Private Kitchen Los Angeles.

4 Comments

Yum! The baked oatmeal looks delicious! As a student, I totally understand what you mean about the mornings being super rushed! I’m actually more of a morning person, so I wake up pretty early, but I’m always doing last minute readings/assignments before classes and thus all of the rushing, haha. Thanks for sharing the recipe!! I can’t wait to try~